[Dynamics of changes in antibiotic sensitivity of Vibrio cholerae 01, isolated from environmental objects]

The analysis of the dynamics of the antibiotic susceptibility of 442 strains of V. cholerae 01 isolated within 1986-1994 from the environment showed that the susceptibility level was different. Strains of V. cholerae 01 with high susceptibility to tetracyclines, erythromycin, gentamicin, rifampicin and cefazolin and with moderate susceptibility to monomycin, kanamycin, ampicillin, carbenicillin and levomycetin (chloramphenicol) were detected as well as the strains resistant to streptomycin and polymyxin B. The susceptibility of the V. cholerae 01 strains to certain antibiotics (tetracyclines, levomycetin, streptomycin) changed in regard to the isolation time and object and its geographical location. In 1991-1994 a tendency was observed towards an increase in the number of the strains resistant to the drugs. The resistance of the isolates from the objects connected with the vital activity of humans (sewage, washings from the cholera foci, fish from polluted water reservoirs) was higher than that of the isolates from open water reservoirs. There were definite difficulties in the detection of the cultures with antibiotic susceptibility characteristic of various regions because of their different origin. The results of the study were indicative of a necessity of monitoring of the biological properties of V. cholerae 01 isolates from the environment important for cholera control.